The Collected Writings of Brian J. Mueller

A single poem, met at the right moment, can change a life.

Search and read all 1,834 pieces by Brian J. Mueller — 1,675 poems, 38 prose pieces, and 121 haiku from 12 published volumes. Free to read and share.

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A Little Suffering

...may be necessary.

I’d rather you
keep on struggling,
than me trying to fix
what may not be broken.

There’s a kind of awakening
that only comes through toil,
and no one has the right
to deprive you of what may be
a little necessary suffering.

While the struggle never ends,
there will one day come a time
when the crusade against,
and the resolve to fight,
to avoid and to fix,
will cease.

At that hallowed moment,
a strange yet agreeable peace
will settle upon your soul,
quite suddenly you’ll see
the sanctity in all other life.